Is Johnny skating for USA or Russia? | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Is Johnny skating for USA or Russia?

Aloft04

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 15, 2004
antmanb said:
I would also bet that at least one item of clothing that Pluscheno wears in trainnig is likely to be an American brand!

.... Made in China. The plot thickens. :biggrin:
 

Frau Muller

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
antmanb said:
Does Pluschenko ....have a significant other who's american?

Ant


Oh....yum-yum....So does this mean that Johnny has a Russian 'significant other'? Pray tell....
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Aloft04 said:
.... Made in China. The plot thickens. :biggrin:

:rofl: :rofl:

I was going to write that but then thought it all got too complicated...!

Maybe the Chinese have a deal going with the Russians that because Pluschenko is wearing clothes made in China, and Johnny is now illegally the fourth member of the russian team by virtue of a secret "i love communism" tattoo under his left armpit, then Shen & Zhao will win the gold medal in pairs for the US so long as Plushy wins the gold for China thus allowing Johnny to remain a member of the Russian team and can get held up by the judges to take the silver medal! :laugh:

Ant <who's feeling even more silly now that pairs SP is but a day away!!!
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Frau Muller said:
Oh....yum-yum....So does this mean that Johnny has a Russian 'significant other'? Pray tell....

I don't think it big news - i'm going off memory here but i think in an article at the start of the season Johnny was asked about his love of Russia and all things russian and then asked if there was someone special in his life and he replied that there was and that they are russian...i think he's said stuff to them in russian after performances.

Ant
 

Frau Muller

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
antmanb said:
I don't think it big news - i'm going off memory here but i think in an article at the start of the season Johnny was asked about his love of Russia and all things russian and then asked if there was someone special in his life and he replied that there was and that they are russian...i think he's said stuff to them in russian after performances.

Ant

Thanks, ant. News to me! So it is 'them' and not 'she' (or 'he')???? This is getting more interesting by the minute!
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
attyfan said:
I thought it was reported that Michelle wore Rafael's "Russia" jacket during her test skate. No one thought it was "unpatriotic" or "undiplomatic" for her.


That's because Kwan's special (ducking):p ;) :biggrin:
 

freelanceslacker

Spectator
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
I think it's wrong, because Johnny is at the Olympics to compete for Team USA. At other events there may be emphasis on individuals competing for medals, but the spirit of the modern Olympics has always been athletes competing for their countries. To make an analogy- I'm a huge baseball fan too, and if Chipper Jones showed up to batting practice wearing a throwback Yankees jersey or hat it would be not cool- not just because the Yankees are another team, but because they are a rival team who are always predicted to win. There's a difference between wearing another team's stuff in your off time and wearing when you're actually at an event.
 

FreeKatie

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
The Olympics is *supposed* to be about good sportsmanship as well, so I think he is wearing the old soviet thing 1) b/c its cool and he is cool and 2) to show his appreciation for his Russian counterparts in the sport - not with communists or Stalin.

Also, to people who are against Johnny's "freedom of expression" - it's kind of ironic isn't it?
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
I'm not 'for it' either, but it's not like this is the first time he's worn the darn thing... and at this point it's not something I'm going to rant about
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Personally, I wish he wouldn't do it. I know it's a fad to wear Soviet Era memorabilia, and I just take as a fact of life (much as I may disagree with it). Several of our friends, who are from Russia just like us, cringe when their teen children start wearing this stuff (some fight it, others pray it passes). Though I'd expect this kind of thing from a teenager rather than a young man.
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
It's a fact of life that among certain sets, skinhead attire and swastikas are en vogue. The Soviet Union was no better (and in many respects was worse) than Nazi Germany. Someone ought to give these brats a history lesson. (I am Polish and Ukrainian, and have relatives who escaped Ukraine a couple steps ahead of engineered famines. Thinking Soviet memorabilia is chic is moronic.)
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Juliet, I don't want to turn it into a political discussion, but I would like to point out one major (IMHO) difference. The ideas that USSR was founded were on paper sound principles. Indeed, the communist ideal is something that I think it is almost human nature to aspire to. The problem, of course, is how this ideal was implemented from day 1 (with much cruelty, lying, etc.). The nazi idea, OTOH, was a rather evil even in its pure theoretical form.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Communism works well only in small communities where the people enter into the system voluntarily, as in a convent or kibbutz. On the larger scale it simply doesn't work well because people are forced to share and some will inevitably rebel.
 

Kasey

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Well, Johnny marched in the Oly opening ceremonies wearing the U.S.A apparel....I'm sure someone will have some kind of comment to make even about that....
 

Dodhiyel

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 13, 2003
I think the Olympic ideal is about sports and good sportsmanship bringing the nations together. My hope is that in the long run, this will contribute to world peace. Wearing a jacket of another nation while on one's off time, as opposed to wearing it during the athletes' initial march in the opening ceremonies, seems to me, to be a gesture for friendship between nations. The old USSR jacket probably originally belonged to one of Johnny's many friends; he is so appreciated by the Russian audience, to whom he shows great respect and affection. They reciprocate by showing him respect and affection.

I believe that it is people like Johnny who will contribute to the vision of world peace, rather than people who cannot let go of the Cold War. I believe that Johnny really understands the Olympic ideal, far better than many who complain about him.
 

FauveNik

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
You know it was the mode here en France only two years ago,, all the teenage boys were earing that exact jacket! whats the big deal???
I have two hockey jerseys myself both I bought in Russia, one is Russian the other is Soviet,, I love them for working out.
Its just cloths,,,:sheesh:
Fauve
 
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